My work is grounded in understanding how systems function in practice, rather than how they are formally described.
Across sport, institutions, and organisations, there is often a gap between stated structures and lived reality. My method focuses on observing, documenting, and interpreting what happens within that space — where participation, influence, and continuity are sustained over time.
How I work
I work slowly and deliberately, combining historical research with lived experience and systems analysis.
This typically involves:
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close reading of primary source material
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long-form qualitative analysis
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attention to informal roles, relationships, and practices
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mapping how participation and influence operate over time
Rather than isolating events or individuals, I look for patterns — how behaviours repeat, how norms form, and how communities sustain themselves outside formal recognition.
Lived experience as evidence
My research is informed by long-term participation in sport, particularly golf, across competitive, social, volunteer-led, and senior formats in the UK and internationally.
This lived perspective provides insight into:
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how access is navigated
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how informal influence operates
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how self-organisation emerges and persists
It allows me to recognise dynamics that are often invisible in official records or policy-led accounts.
History as a living system
I approach history not as a closed archive, but as a living system.
Past structures, decisions, and cultural norms continue to shape present-day participation and opportunity. By tracing these continuities, my work connects historical evidence to contemporary questions of access, governance, and experience.
This approach underpins the Women’s Golf History Project, where archival material is used to illuminate systems rather than celebrate individuals in isolation.
What this method produces
This method does not aim to prescribe solutions.
Instead, it produces:
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clarity about how systems actually operate
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language to describe informal contribution and continuity
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evidence that supports more informed decision-making
It is particularly suited to contexts where participation already exists, but recognition, alignment, or understanding has not yet caught up.
Why this matters
Change is more likely to endure when it is grounded in how people already participate, organise, and contribute.
By focusing on lived practice, informal influence, and long-term patterns, my work supports a deeper understanding of systems — one that complements formal strategy without replacing it.
Contact
If you would like to discuss research, collaboration, or advisory work:
📧 Email Julie
🔗 LinkedIn